Unpredictable Predicaments - A Series of Firsts
by Emiliya Wolfe
Summary: Muggle!AU. Legal intern Hermione Granger likes to go to the cookie shop to get her sugar fix, but also to see the curiously serious grey-eyed boy who works there. Little does she know, Regulus Black is no ordinary shop boy. He has a past as black as his name and the scars to prove it. Will be 10 chapters long (the first chapter is also in Love Drabbles)
1. The Girl in the Cookie Shop

**Duelling Club - Mahogany wand: (AU) Muggle, (word) frail, (quote) "Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love."**

 **Granger Danger - First Date**

 **Oktoberfest - Ale. write a fic with fluffy undertones.**

* * *

'I'll have a,' Hermione paused, looking at the cookie counter, 'raspberry white chocolate chip, please.'

Before she had even finished her sentence, a small package appeared on the countertop. An eyebrow disappeared into her fringe, but as she checked the insides, she realised that it was the exact cookie she had asked for.

Her mouth opened in surprise as she handed over her prepared change.

'How did you…?' her voice trailed off as she met the eyes of the person working the till.

It was him again. The cute boy with the serious grey eyes, who she had never seen smile, but somehow stayed polite and friendly. The one who always seemed to be manning the till whenever she had a cookie craving, which, if she was honest with herself, was more often than not.

'You always order raspberry white chocolate chip on Tuesdays,' he replied, handing her a napkin. 'Have a good day.'

Hermione wanted to stay, to get to know this stranger who knew that she always ate raspberry white chocolate chip cookies on Tuesdays, even though she had never realised it herself. But a queue was forming behind her, and the boy's eyes had slid to the next customer, so she took her cookie and left.

For some reason, the sugar didn't leave her as satisfied as it usually did.

The next day, she found herself in front of the cookie store again.

She couldn't help it, something had just drawn her there. She could pretend that it was her boss at work, telling her that because she wasn't from a family with connections, she wouldn't amount to anything. She could pretend that it was because it was raining so hard outside, the only boots that wouldn't be soaked were wellies.

But as the bell tinkled, signalling her entrance, she knew that it was not the case.

She installed herself at a booth near the window, so that she could pretend to watch the street, but instead could watch the boy from the till as he walked to and fro. On Wednesdays, he served customers, a green apron with the company logo now tied around his customary black uniform. Hermione decided that she liked the apron on him. The black uniform matched his black hair, and he could very well have stepped out of a black and white film if not for the apron.

Eventually, he made his way over to her table, staring at her with those soulful grey eyes of his. He didn't greet her, or ask her what she wanted, as a waiter usually would. He just stood there patiently, waiting for her to finish her choice. Instead of being unsettling, the quiet was soothing - a welcome break from the hectic life working at a law firm.

'I'll have a lemon oatmeal raisin cookie with a cup of tea, please,' she said eventually, folding up the menu.

The boy nodded, his eyes sparkling as if to say that she had made a good choice as he walked away. She watched him relay her order to the person at the till - a girl, she noticed, not without some displeasure - and return sooner than expected.

'Shouldn't you have served your other customers first?' she asked curiously, though inwardly her heart fluttered at the privileged contact.

'Not if you're a regular,' the boy said, the hints of a smile playing upon his lips.

'But I'm not a regular,' Hermione pointed out. 'This is the first time I've sat down in this shop.'

'I think the receipts folded into your coat will tell a different story,' the boy replied without missing a beat. 'Enjoy your food. I'll see you for a triple chocolate cookie on Friday an hour before closing time.'

Hermione's mouth dropped open, then snapped shut with an audible click. How did he know that she would have a triple chocolate? Last Friday, she had asked for a simple gingersnap. She resolved to find out more about this mysterious boy at the counter, who waited on Wednesdays. It would not do to have someone know more than her.

It simply would not do at all.

On Friday, she vowed to come in earlier, but her boss had worked her overtime - as usual. The intern never got to choose when she left. After that, the tube had been packed, and she nearly gave up on coming to the cookie shop at all. But on her way home, she hesitated in front of the doors, knowing that the cookie was just what she needed to forget about her horrible day.

And if there was a second reason she hesitated, she told herself it was just to find out more about the boy to get even.

There was hardly anyone here today. It had been wet and miserable, and most people just wanted to get home as quickly as possible. He was quietly rearranging the food as his co worker wiped down the tables.

Suddenly, Hermione noticed that he had a nametag on his uniform. She had no idea how she had never noticed it before - she usually prided herself on being perceptive.

'Triple chocolate?' he asked as she approached the till, initiating the conversation for once.

'No, actually,' Hermione replied smugly. 'I'll have a peanut butter one instead. Regulus,' she added, looking at him expectantly.

Instead of scowling, as she thought he might, he gave a small laugh, his eyes flickering curiously to hers.

'As you wish,' he replied politely, but there was a smirk on the side of his face. 'Would you like it in a bag, or will you be sitting at one of the tables?'

The fact that he had even asked showed that he wanted her to stay. If she had come to sit for a while, she would have gone straight to the table. Hermione opened her mouth, about to say that she was sorry, but she really needed to get going. Then her drab little flat flashed in her mind, cold and soulless on days like these.

'I'll take a seat,' she said. 'I have nowhere else to be.'

This time, Regulus actually smiled, his teeth flashing white and lighting up his grey eyes. Hermione stared for a few seconds, her stomach somersaulting at the sight. She had always found him cute, but now she wanted nothing more than to bring him close and press her lips to his. Then the moment was gone, and he was back to being as serious as ever.

Hermione sat there for a while, sipping at her tea and breaking her cookie into smaller and smaller pieces as she watched Regulus work. The more she watched, the more a knot grew in her stomach. Regulus was smiling at something his co worker said, as she put a hand on his arm and laughed. As closing time approached, the woman let out another ringing laugh and untied her apron.

'See you later, Reg, honey,' she said, kissing him on the cheek.

Suddenly, Hermione's peanut butter cookie turned to cardboard sludge in her mouth. Try as she might, she just couldn't enjoy it anymore. As Regulus met her eyes from across the room, she felt them burn with shame.

Logically, she shouldn't be this upset. She had only just found out his name. She hardly knew him at all. But that didn't stop her frail heart from squeezing in her chest. It was a crush, nothing more, but it hurt all the same. She pushed the cookie away, crumpling it in its wrapper.

Just as she threw it in the bin, a shadow fell over her. She looked up to see Regulus, his eyes filled with concern.

'Was the cookie bad?' he asked. 'You'll get a refund if it was.'

'N-no,' Hermione replied, startled. 'I just didn't feel like eating it anymore.'

'Is something wrong?' he asked instead, his eyes probing as if he could see through to her thoughts within.

'Of course not,' Hermione snapped. 'Why would you even say that?'

'Because you never throw food away,' Regulus replied. 'You fold the cookie carefully in several napkins, to be enjoyed at a later date.'

'How do you know that? Are you stalking me?' Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

Regulus flushed red, the colour all the more apparent on his pale cheeks.

'No,' he mumbled. 'I just notice things. And… I notice even more things about you, because… Well… I thought the feeling was mutual, but never mind.'

Something in the sentence piqued Hermione's interest. 'What feeling?'

'I thought you were interested, that's all,' Regulus said quietly, rushed as if he wanted nothing more than to end this conversation. 'Nevermind, I said. It was a mistake.' He closed his eyes, grimacing. 'I'm going to kill my cousin when I get back tonight. I knew it was a stupid idea.'

Hermione blocked his path, raising an eyebrow. Regulus looked up at her.

'Look, I've already apologised,' he said, although he had done no such thing. 'Just let me finish my shift.'

Suddenly, Hermione realised what an idiot she had been. What a completely unobservant idiot. The girl she had seen kissing Regulus's cheek earlier must have been his cousin. And so… the feeling Regulus was talking about, that he had been talking about with his cousin, was the same feeling that had unfurled in Hermione's gut all week.

'Wait,' she said, stepping to the side to block his path once more. 'The feeling you spoke of. I think it is mutual. And… Well, if you want to get to know me properly… here's my number.'

Hermione felt reckless as she ripped a page out of one of her notebooks, scribbling down her phone number. Before she could second guess herself, she had shoved the piece of paper in Regulus's hand and fled the shop.

 _Well done Hermione,_ she thought as she hurried home. _Now you're going to stress over whether he's going to call you or not._

Just then, her phone buzzed. Not daring to get her hopes up, she glanced at the screen.

 _How about tomorrow night?_

Hermione squealed.


	2. Mishaps and Migraines

**AU - Regulus and Hermione are around the same age, in a Muggle England.**

 **Hogwarts #5 - Career advice:** **Task #1: Write about an individual that gets injured on his/her job.**

 **Granger Danger - First Date**

 **Hogwarts Stair #9 - Muggle!AU, teacup**

 **Roald Dahl day - Brain aches**

 **National Comic Book Day - (hero) Hermione Granger**

 **1,432 words**

* * *

Hermione cursed as she quickly typed a message to Regulus, telling him that she would be late to their date. Their first date, in fact.

 _Who even works on a Saturday?_ she asked herself angrily as she filed away more paperwork. Her boss had left two hours ago, but had warned her that if each folder wasn't organised by the court date at eight o'clock sharp on Monday morning, then she could kiss her dreams of being a lawyer goodbye.

Her phone pinged, and she put the sheaf of papers down to look at it.

 _Who even works on a Saturday? Apart from yours truly, of course - Regulus_

Hermione laughed aloud, startling the janitor, who had been mopping the floor on the other side of the room. The building was eerily quiet. Too quiet, compared to busy Monday mornings where interns tripped over each other in order to satisfy the lawyers' needs. Not to mention all the actual _paid_ employees, who seemed to multiply left and right.

She imagined that Saturday was the busiest day of the week where Regulus worked - at a cookie shop downtown. But at least he got to leave at five thirty. Just as her fingers hovered over the keyboard, her phone pinged again.

 _What if I came over and met you there? - Regulus_

Hermione hesitated. On one hand, she wanted to go home and at least wash her face and change before their date. On the other hand, he had only ever seen her on workdays in her work clothes, so this wouldn't exactly be new to him. And on top of that, it was already seven o'clock. Quickly, she typed before she could change her mind.

 _That would be great. The address is 32 Norwich Street, behind the Maughan Library. Nearest stop is Chancery Lane Station, Central - Hermione_

She put her phone down on the table, concentrating on placing each stack in the correct box. She wanted to organise all of the files by case type before court date, as each was different. When Regulus arrived, he'd just have to wait a little while she finished reorganising them. With a bit of luck, they'd be out of the door by eight.

She was so intent on her work that she didn't notice her phone flashing until it received a second notification.

 _Be there in twenty minutes - Regulus_

 _I'm just off the tube, be there in a few minutes - Regulus_

Hermione's eyes widened. She had intended on sprucing up her appearance a little before he actually arrived. Quickly, she grabbed her bag and rushed to the bathroom to fix her hair, only to skid across the newly mopped floor. She flailed for a few, agonising seconds, her bag unbalancing her, and fell backwards, hitting her head against the corner of the desk.

Her last thoughts before oblivion claimed her were about telling the janitor specifically not to mop the doorways until she was done in the room.

* * *

Hermione was woken by a persistent buzzing noise.

She lifted her head to see what it was, and promptly put it back on the floor with a groan. She felt as though a hammer had mistaken the back of her skull for a nail. Funny, she hadn't remembered drinking last night.

The buzzing continued, like tiny bees constantly chattering in her ear.

''m coming,' she grumbled, feeling like her words were slurred.

She swivelled around, trying not to move her head too much, but the moment she rose to a kneeling position a wave of nausea overcame her. Quickly, she rushed over to the bucket the janitor had left in the room and promptly vomited out a mix of the dregs of her lunch and bile. Groaning, she wiped her mouth with the edge of her sleeve and lay back down. The buzzing had stopped. She was free to sleep off her hangover.

'Hermione?' a familiar voice asked. 'Hermione, what happened? Is that… blood on the table? How long has she been like this?'

There was an indistinct mumble in the distance.

'I'm taking her to the E.R,' the familiar voice said in a tone that brokered no argument.

Cool hands reached around her back, and Hermione reluctantly opened her eyes again, trying to concentrate on the fuzzy picture before her. A dark shirt, smart jeans, black hair.

'Regulus,' she said, suddenly remembering where she had heard the voice from. Another piece of information drifted into her mind. 'Our date,' she groaned.

'Don't worry about that,' he told her, his grey eyes assessing her head for damage. 'Are you good to walk?'

'Yeah, I think so,' Hermione replied, not wanting to seem completely helpless as she became more and more lucid.

Slowly, carefully, he helped her up. Hermione leaned on him more than she would have liked, but she knew that she would be a stumbling mess without his support. Plus, his shirt was very soft, almost pillow-like…

'What's your best friend's name?' Regulus asked out of the blue.

Hermione struggled to remember, her mind working sluggishly on the way down the elevator. 'Harry. Harry Potter. He's a recruit at the police academy. They say he's a prodigy.'

She smiled fondly at the thought of her slightly oblivious friend acing all the tests required to become a police officer, including those that assessed personal motivation. He would really make a great constable one day. She continued to tell Regulus all about Harry, vaguely aware that they were outside.

'Where are we going?' she asked.

'Barts,' Regulus replied shortly.

'Who's Bart?' Hermione asked, vaguely suspicious, as she knew hardly anything about Regulus, but not able to muster the effort to run off before he proved to be a psycho killer.

'St Bartholomew's,' Regulus elaborated, hefting her weight on his shoulder. 'The hospital,' he added, glancing at her blank face.

'Oh,' Hermione was quiet for a minute, suddenly remembering her fall. 'Thanks.'

* * *

'Feeling better?' Harry asked, once he was allowed into Hermione's room.

'Yeah, thanks,' Hermione replied with a sheepish smile. 'As long as I don't move my head, I'm fine.'

'So, what was the doctor's' verdict?' he asked, his eyes roaming around the room. He was in uniform, so Hermione guessed that he had been allowed to make a detour from his mock-patrol.

'I have a concussion, but nothing major. Apparently I only had a graze from the table, but they think I hit my head pretty badly on the floor, so I have to stay here for the night just in case.' Hermione's tone showed exactly what she thought of that rule as she touched the massive lump at the back of her head. She missed her flat's fluffy blankets already. An idea struck her. 'Hey Harry, after your round's finished, do you mind…?'

'Sure,' Harry replied, anticipating what she was going to say. 'I'll bring a change of clothes, your toothbrush and the fluffiest blanket I can find.'

'Thanks, Harry.' Hermione smiled as much as she could without triggering her headache.

Harry mock-saluted, before sighing.

'Anyway, I should probably get going,' he said, putting his cap back on. 'I would have asked to stay, since you're not supposed to sleep for the next three hours, but apparently someone else is more than willing to stay with you.'

His raised eyebrows and goofy grin gave away everything he hadn't said. Hermione blushed, opening her mouth.

'No, no, no,' Harry said, backing out of the door. 'I wouldn't want to encroach upon your alone time. You can tell me about him in the morning.'

He gave her one huge cheesy wink before completely opening the door to reveal Regulus, standing there with a tray of assorted goods.

'Have fun,' Harry winked again, before leaving.

Regulus glanced back in confusion, but made no comment, instead turning back to Hermione with that hidden smile in his eyes that didn't reach his mouth.

'I brought all the provisions needed for a first date,' he said, motioning towards each object in turn. 'Two dubious teas from the cafeteria. At least they came in teacups instead of those cardboard things that just collapse in on themselves. Two even more dubious cookies - they've got nothing on the ones in the shop - and some very safe kitkats,' he pointed towards a huge pile of the red-wrapped chocolate bars. 'A little unconventional for a first date, but I have a feeling that you're no ordinary girl.'

Hermione smiled brightly, not caring if it made her head hurt. It was an unconventional first date. But she wouldn't have traded it for an ordinary date for anything in the world.


	3. Fumbled Confessions

**Duelling Club - Willow Wand: (item) blanket, (dialogue) "I won't leave you.", (quote) "There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights."**

 **Hogwarts, Assignment #5 - Herbology: write about a canon Death Eater making a love confession.**

* * *

'Regulus!'

'Huh?' Regulus asked distractedly, his gaze meeting his cousin's for a quarter of a second before flickering back to the object of its attention.

'Just tell her already,' Narcissa said knowledgeably. Regulus's eyes snapped back to her with a steel-grey gaze, but to his disgust she only laughed as she gently pushed him out of her way. 'Or don't bother coming in tomorrow. You're creating more work for me, not making things better.'

'Cissy!' Regulus exclaimed, genuinely hurt. 'You know I take this job seriously. You might be my cousin, but that doesn't mean I'm going to slack off.'

'And I'm not going to pretend that your life's ambition is handing out tea and biscuits,' Narcissa replied, dimming her laughter to a simple smile. 'I told you to ask Hermione out. I told you to ask her to be your girlfriend. Now, trust me when I say that you should tell her you love her.'

They paused as a customer came to the till, resuming their conversation only when he had left, cookie and napkin in hand. It had been a slow day and Narcissa had been taking full advantage of the opportunity to grill her cousin, much to Regulus' chagrin.

'I don't know, Cissy,' Regulus said quietly, almost to himself. 'I… I'm not sure I could.'

'Regulus.' Narcissa squeezed her cousin's shoulder. 'Look at me. You're scared, but I know that you can do it. The worst that can happen is that she'll not say it back, and I'll have your favourite cookie waiting for you when you come running to my place to cry about it.'

'Pssh.' Regulus rolled his eyes and raised an eyebrow. 'As if.'

'Ask her,' Narcissa repeated, giving him one last level look as she walked back into the kitchen.

* * *

'Where are we going?' Hermione asked curiously, as Regulus led her through the streets of London, twilight softening the sharp edges of the skyscrapers.

'Well, you told me once that you had never really visited London, since your parents liked going to France on holiday,' he replied with a grin, as they came to a standstill in front of a small red canal boat. 'So I thought I'd give you the full tour.'

Hermione looked to Regulus, then looked at the boat, a smile spreading across her face. He was constantly surprising her with things that she wouldn't have even thought of. Harry had made a game of it, asking her what she thought Regulus was least likely to do. She never came close with her guesses.

This was one of those times. She had never even thought about there being a canal cruise in London, though logically she must have known about it. As Regulus ushered her through the little gate, excitement coursed through her veins. She had always loved seeing the city at night.

* * *

'There are blankets for if we get cold,' Regulus explained, motioning towards one side of the boat, 'and Mr Kreacher has been tasked with serving us for the night, as well as guiding us through the waters.'

As if on cue, a surprisingly sprightly old man appeared from the small cabin. He had a bulbous nose and there was more hair growing out of his ears than on top of his head, but he looked so polite and friendly as he dropped into a deep bow that Hermione couldn't care less about his physical appearance.

'My lady,' he said in a deep voice, bowing again as he approached the couple. 'I am at your service. I will do my utmost to make this night enjoyable for you.'

'Well,' Hermione stammered, unsure as to how to react. She didn't like the idea of being waited on, but she didn't want to offend either Regulus or Mr Kreacher. 'Thank you,' she finished, opting for the safe option.

'Hey,' she said, when they were settled down with a bottle of wine, safely snuggled up to each other against the cold. 'This is lovely, but you didn't need to spend all your savings on stuff like this if you wanted to prove something to me. I like you the way you are.'

Regulus's face fell for a fraction of a second, but before Hermione could ask him about it, Mr Kreacher came back out of the cabin with cheese soufflés - Hermione's favourite.

'This is for you, Miss Hermione,' he said, putting her plate down with a flourish. He nodded to Regulus with an expression Hermione couldn't quite place. 'Sir Regulus.'

Regulus's face turned a brilliant shade of pink that Hermione had never seen before. She would have laughed, if she hadn't been so shocked.

'Sir Regulus?' she asked curiously.

'You didn't think I just worked in the cookie shop, did you?' he asked, attempting at humour, but instead his words faded into the night.

Mr Kreacher wisely locked himself back in his cabin.

Hermione wanted to say something, but once again he had gone so far beyond the borders of her expectations that she was left speechless. In the end, the two of them simply sat there for a few minutes, as Hermione tried to equate _Sir Regulus_ with the boy in the cookie shop that she had met only a few months beforehand. In the end, Regulus's probing eyes had her speaking first.

'I don't really know what I'm supposed to say,' she admitted. 'It was certainly not what I was expecting.'

'But it doesn't change anything, does it?' Regulus asked, and there was a hint of desperation to his voice that told Hermione that the revelation probably meant more to him than her. 'I know you're always talking about how much you hate the House of Lords, and all of the pompous aristocracy that siphon off the money the government should be spending on the poor, and now you probably just want to leave…'

Hermione had never heard Regulus say so much at once. He was usually so quiet, each word spoken thoughtfully, and the plethora of speech streaming out of his mouth was simultaneously adorable and hilarious.

'I won't leave you,' she said, cutting him off mid sentence. 'Not just for that. Besides, I understand that it's not something that you can just slip into casual conversation.'

And to prove her point, she leaned forwards, tangling her hands in his dark hair as she pulled him in for a long kiss. When they eventually broke apart, she rested her forehead against his own.

'You can tell me anything, you know,' she said. 'Don't be afraid to show me who you are, just because I show who I am. There's space enough for the two of us in this relationship.'

* * *

Regulus drank up the words like a bear to honey. The warm feeling that coursed through him and pulled his lips up into a smile was one that he had become more and more used to in their relationship.

He pulled back, allowing himself a searching look as he committed Hermione to memory in case things went badly. Her honey coloured mane of hair that she always had tied back in a ponytail or a plait. Her chocolate brown eyes, vivacious and constantly squinting out of curiosity or concentration, but more often than not out of laughter. Her slim hands that he had originally thought belonged to a pianist and were in fact the most expressive he had ever seen, forever illustrating a point in an argument or a dramatic moment in a story.

He took a breath, ready to change their relationship forever, for better or for worse.

'Hermione,' he started. She stilled immediately, sensing that he was getting ready to say something important.

Then his phone rang.

'Ignore it,' Hermione said softly, touching his arm.

'I can't,' Regulus replied, checking the caller ID. It was Narcissa. 'I'm sorry, I have to take this.'

'What could be so important at eight thirty on a Saturday night?' Hermione asked, her voice coloured with irritation.

He held up a hand as if to tell her to wait, knowing that she only took that tone when she was hurt or overly curious, and answered.

'Narcissa? Did something happen?'

'I'm at the hospital,' Narcissa said, her voice trembling with emotion. 'I… I'm sorry, Regulus, I know you're on a date, but I didn't know who to call.'

'Always call me,' Regulus replied immediately. 'Is it Draco?'

'He… I decided that I'd make seafood in celebration of his perfect scores on his school report, but then he just started making these awful choking noises and, and…'

'I'll be right there,' Regulus said, not even pausing to think as he hung up. Running towards the cabin, he yelled, 'Kreacher? Kreacher, we need to get to the hospital right now. The hospital we always go to, you know the one.'

He turned around, only to remember that he was still on a date.

'Hermione,' he said, surprised. 'Um…'

'It's fine,' she said quickly, brushing off his embarrassment. 'It sounded like an emergency. Who's Draco?'

'Draco is Narcissa's son,' Regulus replied, realising that he hadn't told her much… or anything, really, about his family. Perhaps, unconsciously, he had been hoping that he wouldn't have to. 'He's all she has, and I'm all they both have, pretty much, ever since Severus left to work abroad. Apart from my mother, I guess, who watches over him during work hours.'

'Is Severus her husband?' Hermione asked. Regulus could practically see the clogs whirring in her brain as she tried to piece the puzzle together.

'He's Draco's godfather,' he explained, tapping his foot on the floor as he waited for the boat to reach the crossing. He hesitated, then decided to tell her. _Let her in_ , a Narcissa-like voice sounded in his head. _But not too much,_ another, more serious voice replied. He couldn't tell her everything. Not if he wanted to keep her. 'Lucius, his father, isn't around anymore. He… He's actually in prison. That's why I've been helping Narcissa out with her shop. She won't accept any form of charity, so it's all I can do.'

'Regulus Black,' Hermione said, shaking her head as she closed the distance between them, so much that he felt as though he had been laid bare before her. She put her arms on his shoulders, loosely knotting her hands around his neck. 'I don't think you could get any more perfect. You surprise me at every turn, and in a good way. Is there anything else you have hidden up your sleeve?'

'I love you,' Regulus blurted out, feeling the words physically tumble from the tip of his tongue, but unable to catch them. 'I love everything about you.'

He wanted to say more, but held back, fearful of her response. This was not the night he had envisioned, and not the way he had envisioned saying those words. He should have gauged her reaction, waited until he was sure that she would reply favourably, waited until he was sure she couldn't hurt him…

But he couldn't help it.

After everything that had happened, after all of the failures, the mistakes, the heartbreak in his life, she was like the first ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds of a thunderstorm. Whatever she said next, he did not… could not… regret telling her how much she meant to him.

'I know this might be a little early,' Hermione breathed, her eyelashes fluttering up and down as she blinked nervously. 'But, what the hell. I love you too.' The boat bumped gently against the jetty as they arrived at their destination. 'Now, let's introduce me to that little cousin of yours.'


End file.
